Today, my daughter cut her hand. What if, unconsciously, she cuts her neck tomorrow? At that moment, who will give my daughter back to me? Can that teacher bring my daughter’s life back to me?
– Moganeshwari Appalasamy, Victim’s Mother
A 12-year-old Tamil school student from St. Joseph Tamil School was self-harming because of severe abuse from her Malay subject teacher. The young girl was found by her mother in the bathroom, using a blade to cut her right inner arm. The mother was rightfully shocked and feared for the state of her young daughter.
The daughter had already told the mother about the emotional abuse her Malay subject teacher puts her through. Her mother, after seeing the shocking image of her daughter cutting herself, finally decided to make a police report about it. The standard 6 student had been severely humiliated and punished by her teacher because she had failed to memorise her homework. The young student, along with four other students, was made to stand outside the school as a punishment. Ever since that incident, the girl has had to encounter more abuse by the teacher, said Moganeshwari Appalasamy, the mother of the abused student.
On Tuesday, after failing to answer a question by the Malay subject teacher, the young student was brought all the way to the principal’s office. This incident has brought great pain, anguish, fear, and humiliation to the young girl, who, as a result, decided to self-harm. Her actions not only hurt herself but also brought great sorrow to her mother.
It is not a law that you should have to give your life to study Malay. You (the school administration) encourage the growth of Tamil schools. You (the school administration) state that students should attend Tamil schools. If your teachers behave so abusively, how will students want to attend Tamil schools? The institution isn’t your father’s property for you to be so tyrannical over. It is a government institution. You have to see all children the same. Good students and average students wear the same uniform, so as for you to see all students equally. Whether it is you or me, we have to abide by the law; that is what I learned in school in this country. But you are ruling over the students. I don’t want an education where the teacher doesn’t even try to understand the emotions of a student.
– Moganeshwari Appalasamy, Victim’s Mother
The student is the only child of Moganeshwari, a mother who isn’t ready to have the life of her child reaped from her just because of the cruel actions of an abusive teacher. The mother has urged the Ministry of Education to take swift action against the teacher.
Source: Thisaigal TV Malaysia
